How to Become a Courier

Todor Madzharov

Reading time: 3 min

Despite our world becoming more digitally reliant, the likes of packages, messages, documents and even food still regularly need that extra security only offered by a courier. Whether they’re being flown thousands of miles or simply biked to an office around the corner, these critical delivery jobs still require people capable of getting the job done – and that person could be you.

Are you a dependable sort that’s not too afraid of a bit of exercise, and meeting plenty of people along the way? Then read on, as couriering could certainly be your kind of thing and then take a look at our courier jobs.

Job Basics

Entry salary: Around £13,000pa

Experienced salary: £25,000+pa

Average hours: 35-40 (full-time); 5-25 (part-time)

What do Couriers Do?

Pick up important items and get them where they need to be, on time

Create and plan the best routes to take

Travel between named destinations using one or more modes of transport

Collecting or making payments and signatures on both ends of the delivery

What Qualities Should You Have?

It goes without saying that you’ll need a good sense of direction. While people increasingly rely on satellite navigation to get from A to B – whether it’s a dedicated system, or simply on their phone – there’s no guarantee the information will be accurate 100% of the time. What’s more, you might run out of battery, lose a signal, or even lose your gadget! As such, it’s important you can confidently demonstrate local knowledge.

It’s good to have good communication skills, and a friendly disposition goes a long way, too, and you shouldn’t be put off by the idea of being alone for long periods of time, as longer jobs on a regular basis may prove to be a lonely existence for many!

And while it may be a smaller point, it’s certainly true of jobs that can’t be done by car or van alone: a reasonable fitness level is recommended. Even if you’re driving a city from A to B, you still might have to navigate long driveways, poor road conditions that can only be negotiated on foot, and so on.

How do You Become Qualified?

It’s definitely worth getting a driver’s licence, even if you plan to do everything on your bike; otherwise, aside from work experience, you’ll probably be fine without any additional training. Still, there are courses available if you want to give yourself that extra edge – though most relate to driving and cycling skills.

We’ve got jobs for you!

Is a courier career something you think you want to drive towards? We’ve got plenty of opportunities to get you roadworthy in our job listings – check them out by downloading our iOS or Android app!